The United States Attorney's office has intervened in a dispute over a dinosaur that went up for auction at the end of May with a demand that the skeleton be turned over to the U.S. government, so that it can be returned to Mongolia.

"The skeletal remains of this dinosaur are of tremendous cultural and historic significance to the people of Mongolia, and provide a connection to the country's prehistoric past. When the skeleton was allegedly looted, a piece of the country's natural history was stolen with it, and we look forward to returning it to its rightful place," ManhattanU.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement.